Here we have a castle dating to Roman times on the overland trade route from the Atlantic ocean to the Mediterranean sea. Over the years it has witnessed so much daring do from Romans, Visigoths, Saracens, Spaniards and Franks that kids today are playing video and board games based in the legends. If they are enjoying themselves, the tykes should remember to thank architect Eugene Violet le Duc and Napoleon III. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.
Though the quality of printing isn’t the best, France knew how to show off it’s tourist sites on their stamps. Most far outside Paris, reminding the tourists that there is much more to see than the city of light. This is a tradition that continues and as resulted in some fantastic little perforated portraits.
Todays stamp is issue A85, a 5 Franc stamp issued by France in 1938. It was a 6 stamp issue in various denominations showing tourist sites. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 40 cents used.
The Cite’ de Carcassonne was first fortified by the Romans on 333AD. It lay on an important trade route. It was the first fortress to employ hoardings that were wooden ramparts outside the walls to improve fields of fire esspecially toward the base of the walls. In 462 AD, the Romans ceded the area to the Visigoths under King Theodoric II. It later passed to the Saracens, who were Muslim Moors up from Spain.
Now to the legend that gave Carcassonne it’s name. The Saracen knights of the city were under the command of Lady Carcas after the death of her husband. The Franks under King Charlemagne were laying siege to the town in the hopes of pushing the Saracens back into Spain. The siege was taking it’s toll and Lady Carcas asked for an inventory of the remaining food. A pig and some wheat were brought to her. She had the idea of letting the pig gorge itself on the wheat fattening it up. She then had the pig thrown over the walls at Charlemagne’s troops. The troops were then devastated that the siege would go on forever if they have so much food to be wasting it like that. Lady Carcas then had all the church bells ring, a signal that the siege was over. Hearing the bells, the Frank troops exclaimed Carcassonne, Lady Carcas has been heard from and the siege really was over.
In the nineteenth century many sites like Carcassonne were in ruins. French architect Eugene Viollet le Duc put together plans to rebuilt them in their traditional form. His efforts around France were much benefited from funding from now Emperor Napoleon III. Doing so the way they had been was controversial as most of the architectural establishment wanted things done in a more modern style that emanated from Rome. Viollet le Duc noted that Rome was one of the few places never to build in the French Gothic style because they had their own style. When a country is blessed with it’s own style, it might be worthwhile to keep it. An argument that can never be won or lost but always worth having.
The board game inspired by the Castle came in 2000 and was a product surprisingly of Germany. Well perhaps not, there is a German tradition in toys. A computer multiplayer video game came later with the ever multiplying expansion packs and spinoffs you would expect.
Well my drink is empty and I am afraid I am not much of a gamer. A better question is whether I am too old to learn a new board game? Come again on Monday for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.